Britain's next top model casts first transgender contestant

Iain Lynn

Britain's Next Top Model has cast its first transgender contestant in the forthcoming series.

The show, which airs on Lifetime, will feature 22-year-old Talulah-Eve Brown from Birmingham.

Brown, whose occupation on her official series profile is listed as being a "bar supervisor and Trans Rights Campaigner", also currently holds the title of Miss Transgender, Birmingham.

She says her look is "instantly recognisable and versatile, believing she can win the competition because there is no one like her".

The modelling reality TV show will see 12 hopefuls taking on a weekly challenge with the aim of being crowned the winner at the end of the show.

Model Abbey Clancy, a former contestant and runner-up of the series, will join male model Paul Sculfor, fashion writer Hilary Alexander and celebrity photographer Nicky Johnston on the judging panel.

Clancy said: "I'm so excited to be returning for the second series on Lifetime. These girls are really pushed to the limit in a series of testing shoots and challenges. Expect tears, tantrums, triumphs and surprise departures!"

The other contestants include 23-year-old Victoria Clay from Liverpool who "runs in the same circles as the likes of Leonardo DiCaprio", 20-year-old psychology student and online gamer Chloe Lockley-Middleton from Huddersfield and Simone Murphy, 22, from Edinburgh, who is the only Scottish contestant among the 12.